


It's all Coming Back to me Now

by Daretodream66



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, F/M, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-World War II Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Tony Stark Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25681939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: Bucky believes that he's done something so horrible that he can't ever be redeemed.  Steve doesn't know why he left.  When it all gets explained, they find something good.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 184





	It's all Coming Back to me Now

**Author's Note:**

> Bucky thinks that he raped Steve, but IT DIDN'T HAPPEN!

Steve Rogers is small of stature, but has fire in his veins and a take no shit attitude. His mother, God rest her soul, taught him that no matter what anyone else thinks about him, he’s worth a hundred of anyone that thinks less of him for his build. There was one person, once upon a time, that didn’t treat him poorly, but that’s over now. At 26, Steve has his own graphic design company, looks more like a hipster than a CEO, and has a five year old daughter that he loves with every ounce of his being.

On mornings like this though, he wants to trade her in on a puppy. “Sarah Elizabeth Rogers, get out of that bed or I swear I’m going to pour cold water over you!”

She comes stumbling into the kitchen, blanket clutched in her little hands, looking rumbled and wild-haired. Brunette curls cascade down her shoulders and blue eyes the colour of the sky on a stormy day. It’s times like this when Steve sees his former best friend and nearly chokes on the feelings. “You always say that daddy, but you not gonna do it.” She slides into her chair at the table and picks up her glass of juice. She’s got that grin that’s all Bucky and it gut punches him.

“Yeah, yeah, but you said you wanted to go with me today and if we don’t leave in the next thirty minutes, we’re going to be late.” He sits her breakfast in front of her and she starts eating. 

They make it out the door on time and the car is there waiting. “Daddy?”

“Yes, Pill Bug?” Steve looks down into his daughter’s face and she’s grinning up at him. He can’t believe how much he loves this little girl.

“My birfday’s comin.” Steve nods. “I know what I want.”

“What’s that?” Her next words fill him with dread and anxiety.

“I wanna know who my Papa is.”

The only reason that Sarah wanted to come with him today is so she can play with Morgan while Steve meets with Tony and Pepper. They met at Steve’s gallery opening three years ago and have been friends since. When Pepper found out that Steve was CEO of Winter Shield Graphics, she hired them to do all of Stark Industries designs. That one account made Steve Rogers the ‘in’ place for many of New York and London’s corporations. Steve does all of Stark Industries mock ups himself. He’s talented, but Pepper’s belief in him put his name out there in a way that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

In the lobby, Steve kisses Sarah and Happy takes her to play with Morgan and Steve heads to Pepper’s office. Tony relegated his talents to the Research and Design part of the company and Pepper is CEO of Stark Industries. Today they are looking at the new phone and tablet department and Steve has some designs to show them. Pepper gets up from her desk when he’s shown in, but Tony stays stretched out on the sofa and just waves. “Steve, it’s so good to see you.” 

Steve kisses her cheek. “It’s good to see you too.”

She motions to the sitting area and Steve takes a seat across the coffee table from Tony. The billionaire grins at him. “How is my other favorite omega doing this fine day?”

Steve quirks an eyebrow and frowns. Tony loves bringing up designation and Pepper does what she always does and smacks him in the head. “Behave or I’ll fire you.”

Tony snorts and sits up. “It wouldn’t matter, you know I wouldn’t leave.” She rolls her eyes and sits next to him. “What have you got for us today?”

They get through the mock ups and Pepper gushes over everything. Tony asks for a couple of changes, but nothing that Steve isn’t expecting. Tony Stark loves his tech and wants to show off his talent. He comes across as brash and self-centered, but his new phones and tablets will revolutionize the market. “So, after I make those changes we should be good to go.” Pepper nods and looks over at Tony inclining her head for him to say something.

Getting up, Tony goes to the bar and pulls out a juice from the fridge. “Listen Steve, we’ve been trying to expand into medical technology and opened a new department a few months back. We’ve got something that…well…it’s going to change how people with prosthetics relate to the world.”

“What do you mean?” Tony comes back over, sitting in the chair next to Steve.

“We want you to meet with the head of that department to talk about a campaign to introduce this new line to the public.” Steve nods, but looks confused. “He’s a nice enough guy and really smart, not as smart as me, but still pretty up there. He is a single alpha though and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

Steve makes no secret about the fact that he only works with mated alphas because sometimes they see him with his 5’7” frame, soft jawline, golden blond hair, and big, blue eyes and get distracted by his omega status. He’s worked too hard not to be taken seriously. He had to overcome stereotypes in his college career being a pregnant, unmated omega, but never let that get him down, but being as successful as he is, at such a young age, he’s been able to pick and choose who he works with. Sam is the only unmated alpha that Steve works closely with and that’s because Sam Wilson is a gift to this world. “You said he’s nice enough. That implies that there’s something not nice about him.”

Pepper gives Tony a look and he nods. She sighs. “Well, he’s kind of closed off. Doesn’t let anyone in too much. We hired him and he closes himself off in his lab and doesn’t really socialize with the rest of the department.”

“I can’t really figure out what his angle is and I don’t like not knowing someone’s motives.” Steve nods at Tony that he understands. Many times Steve’s been accused of the same thing, but when you get pregnant by your best friend and said best friend abandons you, you learn to protect yourself.

“I can meet with him, but maybe we meet here instead of his lab.” Pepper jumps up and goes to her phone. They chat about the girls while waiting for the man to come up from his lab. The door opens, but Steve is in the middle of telling Pepper about dragging Sarah out of bed when the door opens, so he doesn’t turn immediately.

The scent hits him first and he turns with fear and panic. Steve knows that his scent goes sour and when his whole body starts to shake, he knows everyone in the office can smell his fear. Pepper panics and starts over to him. The man freezes just inside the door and is staring at Steve like he’s seen a ghost. For Steve it’s true enough because he never expected to see this man again. “Steve?”

He starts forward and Steve jumps to his feet and stumbles backwards away from the man with his arms out in defense. “No…no…you can’t…no…” Steve’s back bumps into the window, his vision whites out, and he slides to the ground. His heart is trying to beat out of his chest and he can’t breathe. Terror and uncontrollable panic consume him.

Tony kneels next to him and pulls Steve’s face from where it’s buried in his arms. Tears stream down his face and he looks…broken. Tony has no idea what this is all about, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to let his friend fight this on his own. Pepper holds James at a distance, but he’s trying to get to Steve. Tony looks over his shoulder. “Pep, call Sam!” That causes James to freeze in his tracks.

Pepper forces James to the desk with her and picks up her phone. Steve can’t hear the conversation because Tony is holding him as close as possible, putting Steve’s nose to his neck. Steve tries to breathe, while also looking over Tony’s shoulder at Bucky. His one time friend looks stricken by what he’s seeing. “I didn’t…if I’d known it was him…I wouldn’t…” But Bucky doesn’t move, he can’t bring himself to walk away. “Steve…you gotta…breathe please!”

It takes 20 minutes, but the door flies open and a tall, black man comes in heading straight for Steve. Bucky’s first instinct is to growl and he tries to contain it, but can’t completely. Pepper looks surprised. Sam kneels next to Tony and Steve throws himself into the man’s arms. Sam purrs calmly and whispers inaudible words to the blond. When he has Steve breathing normally again, he turns to looks up at Pepper. “What happened?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t know. James came into the room and…”

Sam looks over at the man he doesn’t know and then Steve whispers for only Sam to hear. “Bucky.”

Sam’s eyes widen and Steve nods. Picking the smaller man up, Sam carries him towards the door. “What floor is Sarah on?” Tony tells him and the two men are gone.

Turning to James, Pepper and Tony looks at him critically. “You wanna explain that?”

James heads to the door and back to the safety of his lab. “No.” Back in his lab every fear he had about that night so long ago is confirmed. Whoever this Sam person is, he must be Steve’s mate and that crushes Bucky’s heart in a way that he didn’t believe could happen. He’s spent years trying to overcome his own self-hatred, but it comes roaring back like it never left. It probably didn’t and he just got really good at pushing it down. James “Bucky” Barnes is a horrible human being and it’s a truth that today’s episode proved.

It’s been two days and Steve is home in pre-heat. Pepper comes to take Sarah for the next week and Steve hugs her close. “You know how much I love you, Pill Bug?”

“More than all the stars.” He kisses her forehead and she nuzzles into his neck. “I love you too, Daddy.”

“I love you so much. Have fun with Morgan, but no burning down the Tower.” She rolls her eyes and takes Pepper’s hand.

“She’ll be fine, you just take care of yourself.” Pepper isn’t dumb and knows that Steve’s heat isn’t due until next month, so something threw him into it early and she’s pretty sure she knows what that something is. The day before she went to James’s lab, but he refused to talk to her about it. Whatever this is between the two men, it’s terrifying.

Sam comes over in the early afternoon with food that Steve will need for the next week. They sit in the living room and Steve waits for the questions he knows are coming. Finally, Sam asks. “You know that this wouldn’t be happening if your body didn’t think he’s your alpha?”

Steve takes a deep breath. “My body has always thought he was my alpha, but that doesn’t change the fact that after we slept together, he left as fast as possible.”

“Steve, does he even know?” Sam doesn’t really know the story, just parts that Steve would share.

“No, he doesn’t and if possible I don’t want him to.” Steve looks pleadingly at his friend. “Sam, he could try to take her and…” 

“Sssshhhh, I’m not tellin him anything and I don’t think that Tony or Pepper would either.” He pats his friend’s leg. “You just take care of yourself and I’ll see you next week at work.” Steve nods and watches as the apartment door closes.

Going into the bedroom, he curls up in the nest he made earlier this morning and lets himself cry through the intense pain this whole thing is causing. The worst part for Steve, when the heat kicks in later that afternoon, is that his body has freshly scented what it believes to be his alpha. Between the pain from the normal heat and not having his alpha with him, everything is more. He cries out in anguish, twisting in the nest. His scent doesn’t sweeten like normal, but sours with the desperation of an omega rejected.

Morgan and Sarah have free rein of the Tower because JARVIS will not let them go anywhere that could be dangerous. However, it does mean that some of the labs are accessible. At 7, Morgan, to Sarah, seems so much older and wiser than anyone else. So, when Morgan suggests a game of hide and seek, Sarah gleefully agrees. They set the boundaries for the game and Morgan lets Sarah hide first. Taking the lift to the floor of inbound labs, Sarah chooses one that she’s never been in before, but it smells really nice. 

She wiggles under the desk and holds in a giggle. A few minutes pass and the doors open. The nice smell from the lab intensifies and Sarah has to hold in a hum at the scent. Whoever it is stops next to the desk, sitting what sounds, to Sarah, like a coffee cup down. She’s startled when a head comes into view. “Well now, what do we have here?”

The face is a nice one, kind eyes and an open smile. She puts her finger over her lips and shushes him. “You gotta be quiet, mister. Morgan can’t find me.”

He grins even wider at that. “Well, if I’m going to be hiding you from Little Miss Morgan, I’m going to need to know your name.”

“I’m Sarah Elizabeth Rogers.” She says it with a grown up attitude, which is adorable, but Bucky knows he looks shocked. He covers that as quickly as possible. Bucky takes a deep breath and needs to know if this is who he thinks it is. Squatting down to get more at eye level, Bucky puts on his softest smile.

“I’m James Buchannan Barnes, but my friends call me Bucky.” Sarah grins and nods. “Who is your Daddy, Sarah?” He waits with baited breath because if this is Steve’s daughter he’s confused because she doesn’t look like Steve’s mate.

She leans back on the front part of the desk, peeking up at this nice man. “My Daddy is Steven Grant Rogers and he’s the smartest man in the world and loves me lots.”

Bucky chuckles at that. “And what about your other Daddy?”

Suddenly her face closes off and she looks a little sad. “I don’t know. I asked my Daddy to find him for my birfday, but I don’t think he’s gonna.” She sighs. “I think my Daddy still loves him and it hurts.”

Bucky is stunned into silence for several minutes, but this little girl should never look sad, so he holds out his arms and she crawls out from under the desk and into his lap. Her Daddy told her that you can always trust a person by their scent and this man’s scent says safe. “What makes you say that?” It’s cheap for him to be trying to get this information out of a little girl, but Bucky hasn’t believed himself to be a very good person for years.

“Daddy toll me.” She nuzzles into his neck because Bucky smells like home just like her Daddy. “He said that he had his own alpha once and he wouldn’t have another one cause he founded his one.”

Bucky sniffles and tries to hide the tears that threaten to fall. “How old are you, Sarah?” This can’t possibly be what Bucky thinks it is, but everything is starting to line up. 

“I’m gonna be six in a month.” She looks up, beaming at him and Bucky can’t help the smile that graces his face. “I gonna have a big party with dragons.”

Mentally, Bucky does the math and realizes that Sarah could have her wish for her birthday. Jesus, Steve got pregnant that night and Bucky ran out on him like a coward. He tried so hard to mask his feelings for his best friend, but knew that night he’d let everything show. Steve’s sudden heat, triggering Bucky’s rut and the two had spent the night fulfilling every fantasy Bucky had ever had. But he knew his friend was just responding to biology and Bucky had snuck out like a thief and didn’t look back. Guilt and self-hatred fueled him after that and he never let anyone get close again. Now, he’s holding his daughter in his arms and doesn’t want to ever let her go. “Dragons are cool.”

She snuggles back against him, scenting him again and gives a contented, “yeah.”

Morgan finds them not long after and she and Sarah go skipping off holding hands. Bucky watches them go and wants nothing more than to go after her. More than that, he wants to find Steve and claim him like he should have done that night almost seven years ago, but the man hates him, with good reason. So, he decides to do what he should have done all those years ago and apologize for what he’d done to Steve. “JARVIS, is Mr. Rogers in the building?”

“No sir.”

“Then why is Sarah here?” She could just be spending the night with Morgan, but Bucky thinks there’s something else happening.

“Sir, Miss Sarah is staying with Mr. and Mrs. Stark while Mr. Rogers is…ill.”

That pause, so unlike JARVIS, is the key to this. Steve isn’t ill, he’s in heat. Bucky paces the lab, rubbing the back of his neck. He’s been closed off from everything and everyone for so long that he doesn’t even have ruts anymore. His doctor couldn’t tell him why, but his therapist had an idea that it had something to do with Bucky losing his mate. He’d laughed at the time, but now, it’s obvious that his body thinks of Steve that way. Maybe it always had. Grabbing his jacket, he runs out of the lab, requesting that JARVIS send Steve’s address to his phone.

The closer he gets to the building, the more amped up he gets. He’s got to figure out a way to get Steve to open the door and then he’s got to get him to listen. He pressed every button outside until someone buzzes him in. Inside the lift, Bucky tries to think through what he wants to say to his…. And that’s the sad part, Steve isn’t anything to him now and that day in Pepper’s office is proof of that. If anything, he’s just a nightmare that Steve had to live through.

When he gets to the right floor, he makes his way down the hall to the last apartment. Taking a deep breath, he knocks. Clinching his eyes shut, he prays that Steve will let him in and also let him explain. It takes some time, but the door finally swings open and there’s the love of Bucky’s life, looking haggard, tearful, and exhausted. “Steve.” It’s nothing but a breathy declaration, but it’s a name that Bucky hasn’t allowed himself to say in years.

Steve backs away from the door, eyes wide and frightened. “W-what are you d-doing h-here?” Steve’s behavior makes it clear that what Bucky feared he done almost seven years ago is exactly what he believed.

Bucky doesn’t step forward, but is still hit with a wall of that intoxicating scent that lives permanently in his brain. “I…I had to see you.” Suddenly, he feels the heat under his skin and knows that, for the first time in a very long time, he’s going into rut. “Fuck…I…shit…this isn’t…please let me explain.”

Steve steps back to let Bucky into the apartment, but Bucky shakes his head. “Are you planning to stand in the hallway and have this conversation?” Bucky notices that Steve is keeping at least six feet between them, like he’s afraid and that causes a whine to come from the Bucky’s throat. “Buck?”

“I…it’s been years since I had a rut and…you…your scent…it’s…I can’t.” Bucky whimpers and his knees nearly give out. Clinging to the doorframe, he tries to say what he needs to before he runs home to hide. “I left that night because I thought I’d done something so horrible that you wouldn’t be able to forgive me.” He rushes through the words so he can get out of here as fast as possible. “You went into heat and it triggered my rut and I thought…fuck, Steve…I raped you and I couldn’t live with that. I ran, it was wrong, but at the time it’s what I thought was best for you. To never see me again.”

Steve stumbles back a few more feet and crumbles to the floor, sobbing so hard Bucky is afraid it will cause an asthma attack. Going to the man, he sits heavily on the floor out of arms reach. Steve’s voice is weak and breathy. “I loved you. I wanted you so bad.” The sobs don’t stop and wrack Steve’s body like nothing Bucky’s ever seen. Steve’s words hit him like a sledgehammer and he lets himself cry too. “I thought you left because I wasn’t what you wanted.”

“I loved you so much and never wanted anyone like I wanted you.” Steve looks up, eyes puffy and red, but still so beautiful that Bucky can’t catch his breath. “I still love you and then I find out…jesus Steve, you…we…have a daughter. You went through all of that alone. You must hate me so much for that.” Steve makes the first move and crawls into Bucky’s lap. Shocked, but not letting this moment pass by, Bucky wraps his arms around Steve, holding on for all the times he couldn’t.

Steve leans in, rubbing his face into Bucky neck. “I never hated you. I was hurt and still am, but…” He looks up into those eyes that are the exact shade of his daughters. “I still love you too.”

Bucky picks Steve up and carries him to the nest that he knows is ready and waiting. Finding the bedroom, Bucky places him carefully in the blankets and pillows. Everything about the heavy scent of Steve screams _home_. He doesn’t join the smaller man in the nest because that just isn’t done. Unless invited in, an alpha stays outside the nesting area. He sits on the floor next to the bed, looking up into those blue eyes. “Tell me about her.”

Steve spends what could be hours talking about his daughter: her likes and dislikes, the school she’s going to go to next fall, how she does things that are so Bucky that until today it was painful to watch. Bucky listens with rapt attention and files all the information away to cherish. “She asked to meet her Papa for her birthday and I didn’t know what to say to her. Then I saw you in Pepper’s office and all I could think is that you could take her away from me.”

Bucky reaches up, taking Steve’s hand. “I’d never do that to you. I know I don’t have a good track record for being someone that you can trust, but I’d never do that.” But there is something that Bucky needs clarity on, so he asks. “What about your alpha, Steve? That guy Sam.”

Steve gives a watery smile, squeezing Bucky’s hands. “Sam isn’t my alpha, he’s my friend. He’s the only one that knows almost everything about us.”

Bucky closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Then he probably hates me and that’s never good. When the best friend doesn’t like the person.” Bucky tries to pull away, but Steve won’t let him go.

Steve pulls at Bucky’s hand, coaxing him onto the bed. Looking down at their joined hands, Steve glances up through his lashes. “Join me?” Bucky kicks off his shoes and climbs into the nest. He doesn’t try anything, he just lays down, holding Steve against him. It’s been so long. So long since Bucky felt like he fit somewhere. So long since he let himself believe in a future that could be happy.

“What does this mean?” Steve squirms around until he’s comfortable and Bucky doesn’t let him get too far.

“I invited you into my nest, Buck, what do you think this means?” Bucky chuckles and Steve grins into the soft skin of his neck.

Steve’s heat and Bucky’s rut may be biology, but neither one are going to let anything happen until they can have a more comprehensive conversation. For now, holding each other while falling asleep seems like a good plan.

Steve wakes the next morning to the sun pouring in through the curtains. Rolling onto his back and trying to figure out if he dreamed last night, but the question is answered when Bucky comes in, carrying a tray. Sitting up, he smiles, propping himself up with the pillows. “What’s all this?”

Bucky puts the tray in Steve’s lap and climbs in with him. “This is me doing what I should have done years ago and treating you like the gift that you are.”

Steve snorts and takes a drink of coffee. “Hum…this is good coffee. You remembered.”

“I remember everything about what you like and don’t like. I remember that if the coffee isn’t sweet, you frown at it. I remember that you don’t like scrambled eggs and do very much like them sunny side up.” He waves at the plate. “I remember that you like sourdough for sandwiches, but wheat for toast. I remember that you look like an angel in the mornings.” Reaching over, he brushes Steve’s hair away from his face. “I remember that you like music when you’re cooking. And I remember the exact second I fell in love with you.”

Steve looks up, blushing and teary eyed. “When was that?”

Steve scoots closer and Bucky puts an arm around him. “You were 12 and it was your Ma’s birthday. You’d fixed a cake while she was at work and it was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen because you put the icing on it while it was still warm.” Steve chuckles. “She came home and acted like it was the best thing that had ever happened and I looked over at you and you were smiling so wide. It was like realizing something that I’d always known.”

“When you were 15 we went ice skating. You remember?” Bucky nods. “I kept falling down and you finally started skating with me with your arm around my waist. I just knew I’d never feel that way about anyone.” Steve takes a few bites of food, stalling. Finally, he gets the courage together and looks up at Bucky. “Did you really think that you raped me?”

Bucky sighs and looks away like he’s trying not to cry. He knows they have to talk about this, but it was his worst nightmare come to life. Clearing his throat, he looks back at Steve. “Yeah.” He starts to climb out of the nest, but Steve catches his arm. “You went into heat and that threw me into rut and because of that I thought you didn’t really want it. It was just biology and you’d wake up the next morning…”

“Angry? Hurt? Because I woke up that way anyway.” Steve voice starts to get frustrated. “Why did you leave and never contact me? I mean we’d been friends forever!”

“I thought I raped my best friend and the love of my life! How could I ever face you again?” The words get softer and softer and Bucky’s voice breaks at the end.

Moving the tray to the end of the bed, Steve wraps his arms around Bucky and listens to the man sob. “You gave me the single most beautiful night of my life and a daughter that…she’s everything perfect in this world.” Pulling away, he cups Bucky’s face. “You did not rape me. I wanted you so bad that it hurt.”

Bucky nods, but doesn’t meet Steve’s eyes. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.” Bucky needs to get into a cold shower, but won’t until Steve is talked out. Heaving a heavy sigh he gets a whiff of Steve’s heat scent. Without meaning to, he moans. “Fuck…I gotta…you smell so…I need to borrow your shower.”

“Buck, you okay?” Steve hasn’t seen Bucky in years and has never seen him like this.

“It’s the rut, Steve. Haven’t had one since that night and it’s kinda overwhelming me right now.” Steve starts to pull him back into the nest, but Bucky shakes his head. “No, I’m not doing that. I can’t. Not yet.”

Steve lets him go and shoos him towards the bathroom, grabbing the tray to finish eating. As Bucky disappears, Steve grins. Bucky didn’t abandon him. Bucky loves him. Has always loved him and Steve’s going to make sure they fix this because they have a daughter to surprise for her birthday.

Three years later

Steve stands in the kitchen waiting for the water in the kettle to boil and arches his back. Sarah still isn’t up and he’s threatened her more than once. “Sarah Elizabeth Rogers-Barnes, if you don’t get out of that bed right now, I will pour cold water over your head!”

He waddles down the hallway, hands on his hips. She sits up in bed and yawns at him. “You have been saying that my whole life and you haven’t done it once.”

Arms wrap around him from behind and a kiss is planted on his neck. “She’s got you there, Daddy.”

“Shaddup, both of you.” The kettle whistles and Steve waddles back to the kitchen.

Bucky smiles at his husband’s retreating form and knows he has hearts in his eyes. “I hope someone looks at me like that someday, Papa.”

Bucky goes to the bed, sitting next to his daughter. “Someone will because you’re that special.” She stumbles out of bed, kissing him on the cheek and heads to the bathroom. Bucky makes his way into the kitchen and just watches Steve sip his tea in the morning light by the window. “You’re beautiful.”

Steve looks over, smirking. “You just like seeing me pregnant.”

Bucky goes to him, taking the cup, sitting it on the table, and wrapping his omega into a fierce hug. “No, I like seeing you, pregnant or not, happy and you really are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

“If you’re hoping to get lucky tonight after the party, it’s a given.” Bucky cups his cheek and kisses him lightly. Steve smiles into the kiss.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Sarah comes in and watches her parents grinning. Sitting at the table it takes them a minute to notice that she’s there.

“What’s for breakfast?” They jerk apart looking over at her as she drums her fingers on the table.

“We’re going out for breakfast before the zoo.” Jumping up she runs to them, hugging them close.

“Best! Birthday! Ever!” Steve goes off to get changed into something appropriate, but comfortable. At eight months pregnant he needs comfortable. He struggles into clothes and listens to his husband and their daughter talk about the day.

“So Morgan is going to meet us at the zoo?”

“No, she, Tony, and Pepper are going to meet us at the restaurant and have breakfast with us.”

“Can Morgan and I go off on our own at the zoo?”

“Not on your life, Pill Bug.”

“Why?”

“Because two gorgeous girls like you would have too many boys following you around.” Steve snorts at that.

“You’re really silly, Papa. Are we still going to the park for a dinner picnic?”

“Yes, after the zoo and Uncle Sam and Aunt Natasha will be there for that along with more of your friends.”

“Did you get the cake I wanted?”

“You wanted a cake?” Steve starts to giggle at that. Of course they got the cake she wanted. “I didn’t think you wanted a cake this year. You didn’t say anything about it.” Bucky draws out the ‘anything’ for effect. That makes Steve laugh.

Slipping his shoes on he listens to Sarah describe, in detail, the cake they better have ordered. He’s wearing maternity jeans, but one of Bucky’s sweaters. He’s rolled the sleeves up, but it still hangs on him. Bucky looks up and purrs at the sight. So maybe Steve is wearing the sweater on purpose. He’s got his beanie on his head and instead of contacts, he’s wearing his black rimmed glasses. “Is everyone ready?”

Sarah jumps up and heads to the door. Bucky’s arms slip around Steve and the blond hears his husband sniffle. “I love you more than those words can convey.”

Steve looks up, smiling. “I love and adore you for giving me this life.”

Sarah storms back into the kitchen, hands on her hips, frowning. “Let’s go already! It’s my birthday and you two can look at each other with heart eyes later!”


End file.
